Conductive covering for shoes



Dec. 26, 1967 w. g

counucuvs COVERING FOR SHOES Original FiledSept. 17, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet1 INVENTOR. fi/ssefl l L Pr/oe W(%Mm ATTORNL'V Dec. 26, 1967 I w, pmcg3,359,658

CONDUCTIVE COVERING FOR SHOES Original Filed Sept. 17, 1958 5Shets-Sheet 2 L} INVENTOR. Fussd/ h/ Pr/ce WMQZMM fiTTORNEY Dec. 26,1967 R. w. PRICE CONDUCTIVE COVERING FOR SHOES 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 OriginalFiled Sept. 17, 1958 II-I ZIVVENTOJ-E Rage/MB? BY 60 2mm ATTORNEY UnitedStates Patent 3,359,658 CONDUCTIVE COVERING FOR SHOES Russell W. Price,Newton, Mass, assignor to Harold Zimrnon, Belmont, Calif. Continuationof application Ser. No. 761,555, Sept. 17, 1958. This application May23, 1966, Ser. No. 584,027 Claims. (Cl. 367.1)

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A disposable electrically conductive shoecover for surgical and similar uses is formed of two halves of thinmaterial which in flattened condition prior to use are each shaped inthe outline of a shoe as viewed in side elevation, open at the top forinsertion of the shoe of the wearer and joined at least at the toe andsole. Ties are provided to secure the cover in place and means is alsoprovided for grounding the leg of the wearer to the floor. An alternateform is of slipper shape.

This application is a continuation of co-pending application S.N.761,555, filed Sept. 17, 1958, for Conductive Covering for Shoes, nowabandoned.

This invention relates to a conductive foot covering and moreparticularly to a disposable conductive foot covering designed to beworn over a shoe.

The invention has for an object to provide a novel disposable conductivefoot covering adapted to be worn over the shoe as a protective sanitarycovering therefor and which is capable of establishing a groundedconnection between the body of the wearer and a grounded floor orsurface to the end that the risk of explosion as a result of staticcharges from the wearer may be reduced to a minimum,

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel conductive footcovering of the character specified particularly adapted for use byhospital personnel to provide an inexpensive disposable sanitaryprotective foot covering having conductive properties and which may bediscarded after use. To this end the shoes are prevented from becomingsoiled, and the foot covering provides an aseptic precaution to preventpossible cross infection from soiled 0r bacteria-carrying shoes.

With these general objects in view and such others as may hereinafterappear, the invention consists in the conductive foot coveringhereinafter described and particularly defined in the claims at the endof this specification.

In the drawings illustrating the preferred embodiment of the invention:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of the present disposable conductive footcovering as worn with a conductive shoe;

FIGS. 2 and 3 are detail views in side and end elevations respectivelyof the present conductive foot covering;

FIG. 4 is a side elevation similar to FIG. 1 illustrating a modifiedform of conductive foot covering for use with a conductive shoe;

FIGS. 5 and 6 are detail views in plan and horizontal cross sectionrespectively of a portion of the foot covering shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a bottom plan view of another modified form of conductive footcovering to be described;

FIG. 8 is a side elevation of a conductive foot covering designed to beused with non-conductive shoes;

FIG. 9 is a side elevation of another modified form of foot coveringdesigned to be used with conductive shoes;

FIG. 10 is a bottom plan view of a modification of the foot coveringshown in FIG. 9; and

FIG. 11 is a view similar to FIG. 9 showing a foot covering designed tobe worn with a non-conductive shoe. In general the present inventioncontemplates a novel and improved disposable conductive foot coveringdesigned to be worn over the shoe for aseptic purposes whereby toprevent soiling of the shoes and possible cross infection therefrom. Thepresent foot covering provides a safe conductive path for dischargingelectrostatic charges from the body to a conductive floor with no dangerof a spark for use by hospital personnel in operating rooms during asurgical operation where there is a constant danger of explosion or firefrom inflammable liquids or anesthetic gases. The present foot coveringalso affords a protective disposable covering for the shoes to preventblood stains or accumulation of dirt or foreign matter on the shoe, thuseliminating a source of bacterial growth which might cause crossinfection when the shoes are worn outside the operating room, or wherethe same shoes are worn for several operations without being cleanedbetween operations.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the present foot covering isdesigned to be worn over a conductive shoe of the type which provides anelectrically conductive path from the body of the wearer to a conductivefloor for the purpose of dissipating electrostatic charges generated bythe wearer through the conductive floor. The present conductive footcovering when worn over a conductive shoe provides a protective coveringhaving conductive properties for completing the conductive path from theconductive shoe to the floor.

In another embodiment of the invention a conductive foot coveringdesigned to be used with non-conductive shoes is provided with meansforming an electrically conductive path between the foot of the wearerand the conductive foot covering whereby electrostatic charges may bedissipated through the foot covering directly to the conductive floor.

Referring now to the drawings, 10 represents the present disposableconductive foot covering, shown in FIG. 1 as worn over a conductive shoe12 having a conductive rubber sole 14 and heel 16, such conductive shoebeing of the type which provides an electrically conductive path fromthe foot of the wearer through the conductive sole or heel, the presentconductive foot covering 10 completing the electrically conductive pathto a conductive floor. In practice one form of the present conductivefoot covering may comprise a relatively thin conductive material, suchas a polyethylene sheet material having carbon black embodied thereinand, as illustrated in detail in FIGS. 2 and 3, the conductive footcovering may be inexpensively produced in a fiat bag or envelope form byfolding a rectangular sheet of the material upon itself providing afolded closure along the front edge 18 and heat sealing the materialalong the bottom edge 20 and rear edge 22.

The folded material may be cut in the general shape of a boot by cuttingalong an upwardly inclined line 24 from a point 26 of the folded edge 18to a point 28, and may then be cut upwardly along a curved or concaveline 30 terminating at the open upper edge of the folded material. Theedges of the material between the points 26, 28 may be heat sealed toprovide a closure seam 32, The edge along the curved line 30 is leftopen defining with the open upper end a pair of flaps 34, 36. Afastening element, such as a tie string 38, may be secured to the rearedge 22 of the bag in any usual or preferred manner, herein shown as byan adhesive or heat sealed tab 39. The tie string may comprise a fabriccord of the type used as shoe lacings or may comprise a paper coveredwire providing a more secure tie.

In use the flaps 34, 36 of the conductive foot covering may be openedand the foot inserted, the foot covering being pulled over the shoeafter which the open end may be wrapped about the ankle and securedthereto by the tie string 38 as shown in FIG. 1. It will be understoodthat in practice the sides of the flat bag will spread apart and conformgenerally tothe shape of the shoe so as to have a flat bottom androunded sides, and the open edges defined by the curved line .30 may bearranged in overlapping relation so as to completely cover the shoe toprevent soiling or contamination thereof during use.

In a modified form of the invention, as shown in FIG. 4, and which isalso designed for use with a conductive shoe, the bottom edge 40 of theconductive foot covering therein shown may comprise the folded edge, andthe front edge may be closed by a heat sealed seam 42, the remainder ofthe foot covering being substantially the same as shown in FIG. 1. Themodified form of conductive foot covering shown in FIG. 4 is furtherprovided with a bendable conductive metal strip 44 which may be extendedthrough a slit opening 45 in the bottom of the bag and folded intoU-shape to embrace the inner and outer surfaces of the conductive bagmaterial as shown in detail in FIGS. 5 and 6. Thus, in practice aconductive path is provided from the conductive rubber sole of the shoethrough the conductive metal strip 44 to the conductive floor. Theconductive foot covering shown in FIG. 4 is likewise provided with a tiestring 38 for securing the bag to the ankle.

In a further embodiment of the foot covering, as shown in FIG. 7, whichis also designed for use with a conductive shoe, a bag may take thegeneral form shown in FIG. 4 wherein the bottom edge comprises thefolded edge. In this embodiment of the invention, the side walls of theflat, bag, which forms the bottom of the foot covering when in use, maybe provided with a plurality of openings 50 adjacent the lower or foldededge. Thus, in use the conductive rubber sole of the conductive shoe maydirectly engage the conductive floor through the openings 50. It will beapparent that in the modification illustrated in FIG. 7, wherein theconductive shoe makes direct contact with the conductive floor, that thefoot covering will preferably but not necessarily comprise a conductivematerial.

The embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 8 is particularly designedto be worn over a non-conductive shoe. In this embodiment of theinvention the conductive bag or foot covering may take the general formshown in FIG. 1, and in addition thereto the modified form shown in FIG.8 is provided with a conductive strip 60 which may be secured at one endto a wall of the bag in any usual or preferred manner, such as by heatsealing or by a conductive cement as indicated at 62. The free end ofthe strip 60 may be placed Within the shoe, as shown, thus providing aconductive path from the foot of the wearer through the conductive stripand the conductive material of the bag to the conductive floor. Thestrip 60 may comprise a conductive rubber strip or a relatively thin,flexible and bendable conductive metalstrip which may be laminated witha plastic or other reinforcing strip. i In the description thus far, theembodiments of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 8 have beendescribed as comprising a foot covering formed of a polyethylene sheetmaterial which during its formation has been rendered electricallyconductive by the addition of carbon black. Referring now to FIG. 9, thepresent disposable foot covering, indicated generally at 70, designedfor use with conductive shoes, may also be produced entirely from paper,wherein the upper portion 72 of the foot coveringmay comprise anon-conductive paper, such as a relatively strong, inexpensive kraftpaper, and wherein the bottom or sole portion 74 may comprise a paperimpregnated with carbon black or a similar substance which is capable ofcarrying an electrical current. The upper 72 may take the general formof a boot and may be secured to the sole portion 74 in any suitablemanner, such as by stitching. The upper may include a separate heelportion 76 also stitched to the conductive sole 74 and may be providedwith extended binding portions 7 8, 80 to provide tie strings forsecuring the boot to the foot.

In use the foot covering shown in FIG. 9 is employed for covering aconductive shoe in a manner similar to that shown in FIG. 1, and whereinthe conductive sole 74 of the foot covering completes the electricalconductive path from the foot throughithe sole 14 of the shoe to thegrounded floor.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 9, the entire sole portion 74 maycomprise a conductive paper of the character described. In the modifiedembodiment shown in FIG. 10, the sole portion 82 maycomprise anon-conductive and preferably an absorbent paper material wherein aportion of the sole indicated at 84 may be provided with a liquidconductive vinyl'compound which may be produced by adding a carbon blackfiller to the vinyl. This may conveniently be accomplished by daubingthe conductive material onto the absorbent sole with a paint brush, thematerial penetrating through the absorbent sole, which when driedprovides the conductive spot 84. This embodiment is also designed foruse with a conductive shoe to complete the conductive path from the shoethrough the conductive spot 84 and into the conductive floor.

In practice it will be understood that the amount of carbon black fillerprovided in any of the above described embodiments may be varied inaccordance with the resistance requirements for a particular use up to amaximum providing a resistance of approximately 250,000 ohms.

Referring now to FIG. 11, the foot covering 86 therein shown maycomprise a structure similar to that illustrated in FIG. 9 except thatit is designed for use with a non-conductive shoe. As shown in FIG. 11,in order to provide a conductive path from the wearers foot through theconductive paper sole 88 to the grounded floor, a conductive rubber orthin conductive metal strip is provided, the free end of which may beextended into the shoe in a position to contact the heel of the wearer.The strip 90 is then extended over the rear Wall of the shoe and downunder the heel into contact with the conductive sole 88. The strip 90may be secured to the sole 88 in any usual manner, such as by a cementwhich has been rendered conductive by the addition of carbon black orother suitable material.

From the above description it will be seen that the present footcovering made from an inexpensive conductive sheet material is capableof forming a conductive path from the wearer to a conductive floor, andin addition affords a readily disposable waterproof protective footcovering designed to be used once and then discarded, thus solving theproblem of eliminating the possibility of cross infection from theshoes.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been hereinillustrated and described, it will be understood that the invention maybe embodied in other forms Within the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A disposable shoe cover shaped and constructed to fit over andentirely enclose the shoe of the wearer formed of thin, flexiblematerial to conform to the shape of said shoe and of the lower leg ofthe wearer, said cover in flattened condition prior to installation oversaid shoe comprising two substantially flat, parallel, congruent halves,each said half generally shaped in the outline of a shoe as viewed inside elevation and having a straight elongated bottom edge, anupstanding back edge at the rear of said bottom edge, a short upstandingtoe at the front of said bottom edge, a backward-upward slanting instepedge and a top edge, said cover being open at said top edges to providean ankle opening for insertion of said shoe, said halves joined alongsaid bottom and toe edges, and means attached to said cover for securingsaid cover in place over said shoe and a portion of the lower leg ofsaid wearer, at least a portion of said cover having an external,electrically conductive area positioned to ground to the floor when inposition over the shoe of the wearer and means for electricallyconnecting said area to the leg of said wearer.

2. A cover according to claim 1, in which said bottom edges of saidhalves are substantially straight and extend substantially the entirelength of said cover.

3. A dispostable shoe cover comprising a disposable boot of relativelythin, light-weight flexible material, shaped and consrtucted to be wornover a shoe to provide a protective covering entirely enclosing saidshoe, said disposable boot having means including a conductive soleportion providing a conductive path from the sole of the foot to aconductive floor, said boot being formed in flattened condition prior toinsertion on a shoe of two substantially flat, .parallel, congruenthalves, each said half shaped in the outline of a shoe as viewed in sideelevation, and formed with bottom, back, toe, instep and top edges, saidcover open at said top edges for insertion of said shoe and said halvesjoined along said bottom and toe edges, and means attached to said coverfor securing said cover in place over the shoe and a portion of thelower leg of the wearer.

4. A disposable conductive foot covering of the character described,comprising a flat bag composed entirely of thin conductive material openat one end and forming a disposable boot adapted to be worn over a shoeto provide a protective covering entirely enclosing the shoe, means fordetachably securing the boot to the foot of the wearer, and meansproviding a conductive path from the foot through the conductive boot toa conductive floor, said boot being formed in flattened condition priorto insertion on a shoe of two substantially flat, parallel, congruenthalves, each said half shaped in the outline of a shoe as viewed in sideelevation, and formed with bottom, back, toe, instep and top edges, saidcover open at said top edges for insertion of said shoe and said halvesjoined along said bottom and toe edges, and means attached to said coverfor securing said cover in place over the shoe and a portion of thelower leg of the wearer.

5. A disposable foot covering comprising a boot of relatively thin,light-weight flexible material, having a sole portion having at least aportion of its external surface conductive, a separate, substantiallysemi-conical upper portion generally in the form of the toe and instepof a boot secured along its bottom edges to the margin of the front ofsaid sole portion and extending from the toe to a position forward ofthe heel, and a separate, substantially arcuate heel portion connectedat its bottom edges to the margin of the back of said sole portion, saidheel portion shaped to extend around the back of the heel of the wearer,means connected to said heel portion for Securing said boot to the foot,and electrical conductive means for electrically connecting saidexternal conductive portion of said sole with the body of the wearer.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,644,217 10/1927 Wreford 367.12,627,126 8/1953 France 36-9 2,714,771 8/1955 Olfene 36-9 2,846,7848/1958 Bush 36-9 2,879,452 3/1959 Page 36-l X PATRICK D. LAWSON, PrimaryExaminer.

1. A DISPOSABLE SHOE COVER SHAPED AND CONSTRUCTED TO FIT OVER ANDENTIRELY ENCLOSE THE SHOE OF THE WEARER FORMED OF THIN, FLEXIBLEMATERIAL TO CONFORM TO THE SHAPE OF SAID SHOE AND OF THE LOWER LEG OFTHE WEARER, SAID COVER IN FLATTENED CONDITION PRIOR TO INSTALLATION OVERSAID SHOE COMPRISING TWO SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT, PARALLEL, CONGRUENT HALVES,EACH SAID HALF GENERALLY SHAPED IN THE OUTLINE OF A SHOE AS VIEWED INSIDE ELEVATION AND HAVING A STRAIGHT ELONGATED BOTTOM EDGE, ANUPSTANDING BACK EDGE AT THE REAR OF SAID BOTTOM EDGE, A SHORT UPSTANDINGTOE AT THE FRONT OF SAID BOTTOM EDGE, A BACKWARD-UPWARD SLANDING INSTEPEDGE AND A TOP EDGE, SAID COVER BEING OPEN AT SAID TOP EDGES TO PRO-